Teachers’ Perceptions of Using Technology in Teaching EFL

Fatemeh Mollaei, Mohammad Javad Riasati

Abstract


No longer are students’ experiences with new languages limited to their textbooks or immediate environment. With the pervasiveness of the internet and the increased awareness of the importance of having technology in a classroom, both teachers and students all over the world are being provided with technological tools that will further accelerate their ability to acquire or teach a second or foreign language. Technology integration in the classroom has become an important aspect of successful teaching. It has triggered many researchers to investigate different aspects of such integration. In addition, it could be an effective teaching tool when used to engage all students in the learning process. The results of the study show that teachers have positive attitudes toward the use of technology, particularly computer. The focal point of the project was to promote students’ communicative competence and autonomy via the implementation of technological tools. This study aimed at investigating the perceptions of EFL teachers about the use of technology in their classes and factors affecting technology implementation in Iranian Language Institutes. Descriptive statistics and sample t-test were used to analyze the questionnaire data. Results obtained from both the quantitative and qualitative data revealed teachers’ perceptions about integrating technology in their classes, incentives for teachers who use technology, types of technology used, facilitating and inhibiting factors affecting technology implementation, and the different attitudes of male and female teachers toward using technology. According to the results, teachers had positive attitudes regarding the use of technology, in particular computer, in their classrooms. 


Keywords


Technology, computer, EFL teachers

Full Text:

PDF

References


Almekhlafi, A. (2006). The effect of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) on United Arab Emirates EFL school students’ achievement and attitude. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 17(2), 121-142.

Atkins, N. E., & Vasu, E. S. (2000). Measuring knowledge of technology usage and stages of concern about computing: A study of middle school teachers. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 8(4). 279-302.

Becker, H., Ravitz, J., & Wong, Y. (1999). Teacher and teacher-directed student use of computers and software. Teaching, Learning, and Computing: 1998 National Survey. Report #3.

Bancheri, S. (2006). A language teacher's perspective on effective courseware. In Randall PD and Margaret AH (Eds). Changing Language Education through CALL, (pp.31-47). New York: Routledge.

Bax, S. (2003). CALL-past, present and future. System, 31, 13-28.

Biggs, J. B. (1999). Teaching for quality learning at university: what the student does.Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

Brown, H. D. (1991). TESOL at twenty-five: What are the issues? TESOL Quarterly, 25, 245-260.

Carr-Chellman, A. A., & Dyer, D. (2000). The pain and the ecstasy: Pre-service teacher perceptions on changing teacher roles and technology. Educational Technology and Society, 3(2).

ChanLin, L., Hong, J., Horng, J., Chang, S., & Chu, C. (2006). Factors influencing technology integration in teaching: A Taiwanese perspective. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 43(1), 57–68.

Chin, S. & Hortin, J. (1993). Teachers' perceptions of instructional technology and staff development. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 22 (2), 83-98.

Coniam, D. (2002). Perceptions of a multimedia syllabus – making the demands of a performance test more accessible. System, 31, 55–70.

Cope, C. J. (2000). Educationally critical aspects of the experience of learning about the concept of an information system. Unpublished dissertation, La Trobe Univ., Australia, http://ironbark.bendigo.latrobe.edu.au/staff/cope/Chris.Cope.html.

Ducate, L., & Arnold, N. (2006). Calling on CALL: From theory and research to new directions in foreign language teaching. San Marcos, TX: Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium.

Gobbo, C., & Girardi, M. (2001). Teachers‟ beliefs and integration of information and communications technology in Italian schools. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 10 (1 & 2), 63–86.

Cox, M., Webb, M., Abbott, C., Blakeley, B., Beauchamp, T., & Rhodes, V. (1999). ICT and pedagogy: A review of the literature. British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, Department for Education and Skills.

Crystal, D. (2005). English as a global language. United Kingdom: Cambridge.

Denk, J., Martin, J., & Sarangarm, S. (1993). Not yet comfortable in the classroom: A study of academic computing at three land-grant universities. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 22 (1), 39-55.

Diem, K., Gamble, K., Hino, J., Martin, D., & Meisenbach, T. (2009). Assessing county Extension programs' readiness to adopt technology; An OSU case study of two Oregon counties. Oregon: Author.

Egbert, J.L., Paulus, T. M., & Nakamichi, Y. (2002). The impact of CALL instruction on classroom computer use: A foundation for rethinking technology in teacher education. Language Learning & Technology, 6, 108-126. Retrieved May 17, 2008, from http://llt.msu.edu/vol6num3/egbert/

Gressard, C. P. & Loyd, B. H. (1986). Validation studies of a new computer attitude scale. Association for Educational Data Systems Journal, 18(4), 295–301.

Hadley, M., & Sheingold, K. (1993). Commonalities and distinctive patterns in teachers‟ integration of computers. American Journal of Education, 101, 261–315.

Honey, M., Culp, K. M., & Carrigg, F. (2000). Perspectives on technology and education research: lessons from the past and present. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 23(1), 5-14.

Hurwitz, C. L. (1999). A teacher’s perspective on technology in the classroom: Computer visualization, concept maps and learning logs. Journal of Education, 181, 123. Available from EBSCOhost.

Jeong, K.-O. (2006). Promoting communicative language teaching in EFL context: An English writing course mediated through the Web. English Language Teaching, 18(3), 47-68.

Johnson, E. M. (2002). The role of computer-supported discussion for language teacher education: What do the students say? CALICO Journal, 20(1), 59-79.

Jung, Y. S. (2001). Toward an effective EFL teacher development program focusing on multimedia and the Internet. English Teaching, 56(4), 141-162.

Lam,Y. (2000). Technophiliacs, technophobia: A preliminary look at why second-language teachers do or do not use technology in their classrooms. Canadian Modem Language Review, 56(3), 389-420.

Lam, Y., & Lawrence, G. (2002). Teacher-student role redefinition during a computer-based second language project: Are computers catalysts for empowering change? Computer Assisted Language Learning, 15(3), 295-315.

Lee, S., & Son, J.-M. (2006). The use of ICT in Korean middle school English classrooms: Practices and challenges. English Language Teaching, 18(1), 49-73.

Liu, Y., Theodore, P., & Lavelle, E. (2004). Experimental effects of online instruction on teachers’ concerns about technology integration. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 1(1), Retrieved October 17, 2008, from http://www.itdl.org/journal/Jan_04/article03.htm

Loveless, A. (1999). Perception versus use: Technology in education. Convergence, 5(4), 126-128. Retrieved from http://con.sagepub.com/content/5/4/126.citation

Lyle, K. E. (2009). Teacher perceptions of their technology education curricula. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://gradworks.umi.com/33/85/3385448.html. (UMI Number: 3385448).

Kim, H. (2002). Teachers as a barrier to technology-integrated language teaching. English Teaching, 57(2), 35-64.

Marra, R. M., & Carr-Chellman, A. A. (1999). Undergraduate education students’ perspectives on classroom technologies: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 21(3), 282-303.

Marton, F., & Booth, S. (1997). Learning and Awareness. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Marton, F., & Säljö, R. (1976). On qualitative differences in learning. I. Outcome and process. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 4-11.

Mitchell, J., & Bluer, R. (1997). A Planning Model for Innovation: New Learning Technologies. Report of the Office of Post Compulsory Education, Training and Employment, State Training Board, Victoria, Australia, http://www.otfe.vic.gov.au/planning/model/

Oh, E., & French, R. (2007) Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of an introductory instructional technology course. CALICO Journal, 24(2), 253-267.

Parr, J. M. (1999). Going to school the technological way: Co-constructed classrooms and student perceptions of learning with technology. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 20(4), 365-377.

Prosser, M., & Millar, R. (1989). The how and what of learning physics. European Journal of Psychology in Education, 4, 513-528.

Prosser, M., & Trigwell, K. (1999). Understanding learning and teaching: the experience in higher education. Philadelphia, PA: Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.

Rakes, G. C., & Casey, H. B. (2000). An analysis of teacher concerns toward instructional technology. Retrieved May 17, 2008, from http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/IJET/v3n1/rakes/index.html

Ramsden, P. (1988). Studying learning: Improving teaching. In P. Ramsden (Ed.), Improvinglearning. New Perspectives (pp. 13-31). London: Kogan Page.

Redmond, P., Albion, P. R., & Maroulis, J. (2005, March). Intentions and Reality: Pre-service teachers’ ICT Integration during Professional Experience. Paper presented at the 16th International Conference of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education (SITE 2005), Phoenix, USA.

Sadik, A. (2005). Factors influencing teachers’ attitudes towards personal use and schools use of computers: New evidence from a developing nation. Evaluation Review, 2(1), 1-29.

Samak, Z. A. (2006). An exploration of Jordanian English language teachers’ attitudes, skills, and access as indicator of information and communication technology integration in Jordan (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Tallahassee: Florida State University.

Schrum, L. (1999). Technology professional development. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 83-90.

Sepehr, H., & Harris, D. (1995). Teachers‟ use of software for pupils with specific learning difficulties. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 11, 64–71.

Shin, H.-J., & Son, J.-B. (2007). EFL teachers' perceptions and perspectives on Internet-assisted language teaching. CALL-EJ Online, 8(2). Retrieved July 17, 2008, from http://www.tell.is.ritsumei.ac.jp/callejonline/journal/8-2/h-js_j-bs.html

Shapkaa, J. and Ferrarib, M. (2003) Computer-related attitudes and actions teacher candidates. Computers in Human Behavior, 20(3), 319-334.

Smerdon, B., Cronen, S., Lanahan, L., Anderson, J., Iannoti, N., & Angeles, J. (2000). Teachers’ Tools for the 21st Century: A Report on teachers’ Use of Technology. National Center for Education Statistics (NCEs) Publication #2000102). Publication retrieved May 24, 2004 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2000102.

Son, J.-B. (2002). Computers, learners and teachers: Teamwork in the CALL classroom. English Language Teaching, 14(2), 239-252.

Stallard, C. (1998) . Factors that influence the integration of technology into the secondary curriculum. [On-line]. Available: http://ed.info.apple.com/education/techlearn/adapt/adaptfactors.html.

Suh, S. (2004). Technology training and English language teacher education in Korea. Proceedings of CLaSIC 2004, Singapore, 1040-1048.

Trigwell, K., Prosser, M., & Waterhouse, F. (1999). Relations between teachers’ approaches to teaching and students’ approaches to learning. Higher Education, 37, 57-70.

Wang, P. & Chan, P. (1995). Advantages, disadvantages, facilitators, and inhibitors of computer-aided instruction in Singapore's secondary schools. Computers and Education, 25 (3), 151-162.

Woodrow, J. (1992). The influence of programming training on the computer literacy and attitudes of pre-service teachers. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 25(2), 200-218.

Yang, S., & Huang, Y. (2008). A study of high school English teachers‟ behavior, concerns and beliefs in integrating information technology into English instruction. Computers and Human Behavior, 24(3), 1085-1103.

Yildirim, S. (2000). Effects of an educational computing course on pre-service and in-service teachers: A discussion and analysis of attitudes and use. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32 (4), 479-495.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/ijalel.v.2n.1p.13

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.